


Do It Quietly

by brokenhighways



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Episode Tag, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 20:52:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10772223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: Set after 3.10 // "I don't care if you're panicking, but do it quietly," Zero says from the kitchen table where he's pretending to read the paper.





	Do It Quietly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [psychmerlin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychmerlin/gifts).



> The show's coming back!! Yay! :D So I felt like writing something nice and short because every Zude fic I sit down to write happily strolls past the 3k mark. :P
> 
> This is for psychmerlin because I've been tardy for the party in regards to her long overdue birthday fic!
> 
> Apologies for any errors.

The last twenty four hours have been a whirlwind and Jude's feet are still unsteady even though they're on firm ground. Everything he knew yesterday is different today and he's at a loss. His mind is racing through scenarios, through memories, through every conceivable thought possible and he almost feels sick.

He mutters to himself and gets so lost that he almost forgets that Zero's right there. 

"I don't care if you're panicking, but do it quietly," Zero says from the kitchen table where he's pretending to read the paper.  
  
He does that a lot when he wants to avoid an issue. He sits there, still and silent like the world will end if he dares to turn the page.  
  
Kind of like the way Jude's world is ending right now.  
  
Considering that the last time he saw Zero, he'd just punched a poster of Jelena after revealing that he was being traded, this calm, somewhat composed person is not what he expected to find when he woke up from an awkward position on the couch. Z

Zero disappeared the previous night without any word. All of Jude's calls and texts had gone unanswered until he told Zero to meet him at the hospital.  
  
The conversation with the police went into the middle of the night, and when Zero said he was going to clear his head, Jude didn't argue. If anything, he was too stunned by what had transpired.

The more he thinks about it now, the more anxious it makes him and he's been pacing a hole into the floor for the last hour.  
  
"I don't get why you're not worried about where you're going to end up," Jude says, pausing momentarily. "Or why you're not panicking over the fact that we were seriously close to becoming _murder_ suspects.”

The incident with Jelena plays on his mind too, like the fucked up part of a reel that he can't skip. Every time he closes his eyes, he can see the blood and picture every single detail vividly.

It's nauseating.  
  
"What's the point?” Zero utters disdainfully, although, Jude hears the crinkle as his fingers tighten around the newspaper. "I didn't shoot her. Did you?"  
  
"No," Jude says, "but that doesn't matter. We have motive. We were at the crime scene."  
  
Zero finally puts the paper down and turns to look at Jude. "And?"  
  
Jude isn't sure how Zero can be so blasé after all that's happened. Oscar losing the team, Jelena taking over and then somehow winding up in a pool of her own blood.  
  
"And?" Jude echoes. He knows that this is just a front, a cold hard exterior that Zero puts up when he needs to shelter himself from the real world. He knows that, but he still wants to break through it. He wants the _real_ even if he doesn't like what he sees.  
  
"I don't care about Jelena getting shot," Zero admits with a shrug. "And last night I realised that I don't care about her owning the team. I don't care about Oscar. Truthfully, I don't even care about the Devils that much. What I do care about is you. Us. That's what matters."

Jude's still getting used to this open side of Zero, and the fact that he's still _there_ makes all of the bad things pale in comparison. Zero's words have a calming effect on Jude because he finally feels stable enough to sit down without jumping up again two minutes later.

In the midst of everything, he's been ignoring the fact that they might not have much time together. Realistically, he knows that Jelena only has twenty four hours to complete the transfer paper work and that it's highly unlikely that she can do that from her hospital bed. But...they have no idea how far she's gone with the process and--  
  
"Hey," Zero says softly, his voice permeating through the tangle of thoughts in Jude's mind. Jude looks up at him and sees nothing but understanding in Zero's eyes. There's no judgement, no bitterness, just easy acceptance.

"You once told me that we're in this _together_ and that hasn't changed. You've got me, and I've got you. No matter where I end up, we'll always be family. Always."  
  
Hearing Zero say it loud makes it seem easier; like it's that simple.  
  
Perhaps it is.  
  
He rests his on top of Zero's and smiles for the first time since everything crashed down around them.  
  
"Always." 


End file.
